Spring Cleaning

I like to keep my house fairly tidy but as far as cleaning goes, I do a really good job in the spring and fall but that is about the extent of it! Of course I wash dishes, do laundry, pick up the food from under the highchair, wipe down counter tops and bathrooms from time to time, but for the most part we only do spring and fall cleaning.

I was thinking about this the other day after reading an article about where Spring Cleaning came from. Apparently people would keep things tidy and wipe down dishes after meals but actual cleaning was saved for one day at the beginning of spring. They would take everything outside to clean and air out. Since many homes used fireplaces for heat you can imagine the kind of dirt and smell that would collect on furnishings over a long winter! How different that is from today where people feel that their homes must be immaculate all of the time!

After reading some surveys on facebook and talking with friends the other day, and I have concluded that we have done ourselves a disservice. I can't tell you how many friends I have who suffer with Obsessive Compulsive tendencies, with feelings of guilt, or with feeling like they can't have friends over at the drop of a hat because of how dirty they think their homes are.

There is also this to be considered: Are we doing our children a disservice by raising them in practically sterile environments? I have heard it said, "A little dirt never hurt anyone." In fact having a little dirt around actually helps us build up our resistance to disease!

However, probably the biggest thing to consider is: What are we giving up so that our homes can be immaculate? Is it our children, time with our spouses, doing something kind for someone else, time to sit and rejuvenate? At the end of life will it matter if you house was immaculate? I would argue no, but I would also argue that it will matter if you took time for your children, your spouse, to do something kind for someone else, and to take care of yourself. Make sure you are putting the big rocks into the jar first; the sand will fill in wherever room is left!

Making a House a Home

One of the most exciting parts about moving into a new house is that you have a large canvas on which to express yourself. You don't have to spend a lot of money, just some time and creativity! The first thing I think about when we move is 1) How can I group our furniture and 2) Which room should which group of furniture go in to best serve my purposes. From there I can go from room to room deciding which belongings belong in which room. The last (and probably the longest step) is going through each room deciding what I can add to each room to make it look like a home. In the next week or two I plan to write a second post on Making a House a Home complete with pictures of my daughter's room. Whether it is a can of paint, a border, a couple posters, a frame , a curtain, etc, a little bit of money and a lot of tender loving care can go along way to making your house appear like a home, but the only thing that can truly make a house a home is the people who live in it!